Is Covid-19 really over?

The Covid-19 is not over yet. The report on the surge of fresh cases coming from different countries has already alarmed us about a new sub-variant of virus. It is JN.1 variant. Our neighbouring country India is gearing itself up in its fight against this infectious variant as it has recently reported a number of cases of this strain. The World Health Organization (WHO), on Wednesday, said that nearly 10,000 Covid-19 related deaths were reported in December last year. While the situation is worrying with hundreds of deaths abroad, Bangladesh does not seem to have taken any preparation against another surge of Covid-19 infection.
According to the media, this variant can spread fast. As a result, experts believe that those who have not yet been vaccinated are at high risk of being infected by this new variant. If anyone has co-morbidity condition like diabetes and kidney disease or any other chronic disease, s/he is more at risk. With the advent of winter months, many people suffer from cold, fever and flu. If you have caught cold, it should not be taken lightly. Rather, you should consult a physician or get yourself checked for catching or not the virus. The symptoms of contracting JN.1 are quite similar to earlier variants. They include fever, runny nose, sore throat, respiratory infection, headache, abdominal pain and body ache.
We in Bangladesh cannot afford to lower the guard against the new variant. Taking it lightly can spell trouble for us. So, we should not be complacent but start wearing masks and follow other health protocols. The WHO strongly recommends everyone to be vaccinated, to test, to wear masks where needed and to ensure crowded indoor spaces are well ventilated. Many people in the country have not yet taken the third dose of coronavirus vaccine. We must not forget that this virus still exists and everyone should get inoculated with the third jab of vaccine as early as possible.

Badsha Faysal,
Jurain, Dhaka,
[email protected]